February 7, 2017

Qatar steps forward to support Malaysia in helping Rohingya community

Qatar is among the latest Islamic countries to come forward to support Malaysia in its humanitarian project to help the Rohingya community that had sought refuge in the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the Qatar government had agreed to provide special funds for Malaysia to aid the refugees in three areas, primary school education, skill training, and medical and health care.

"The agreement to channel funds is a positive response by Qatar to Malaysia's ongoing efforts in resolving issues regarding the Rohingya.

"The Qatar government is very appreciative of the Prime Minister (Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak)'s role in assisting the Rohingya community," he told Malaysian journalists here.

Ahmad Zahid who is also Home Minister is in Qatar on a four-day working visit since Feb 4. (Courtesy of saudigazette.com.sa)

Violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state could amount to crimes against humanity – UN special adviser

The scale of violence against the Rohingya community in Myanmar's Rakhine state documented in a recent United Nations human rights report is a level of dehumanization and cruelty that is “revolting and unacceptable,” the UN Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide said today, underlining the Government's responsibility to ensure that populations are protected.

In a statement, Special Adviser Adama Dieng said the flash report issued last week by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) gave further credibility to allegations that security forces were committing serious human rights violations against civilians in northern Rakhine state from the very beginning of the recent escalation of violence, which was precipitated by attacks on border posts in early October 2016 and the ensuing operations by those forces.

According to the findings contained in the OHCHR report, human rights violations committed by the security forces include mass gang-rape, extra-judicial killings – including of babies and young children, brutal beatings and disappearances. (Courtesy of un.org)

Statement by Adama Dieng, United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide following OHCHR’s report on the situation in northern Rakhine State, Myanmar

The United Nations Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, stated that he was shocked and alarmed to read the accounts of serious human rights violations being committed against Muslim Rohingya in northern Rakhine State by Myanmar’s security forces, as set out in the report published on 3 February by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). According to the findings of the report, human rights violations committed by the security forces include mass gang-rape, extra judicial killings – including of babies and young children – brutal beatings and disappearances. These attacks have taken place in the context of an escalation of violence in northern Rakhine State since border security posts were attacked by armed assailants in early October 2016. (Courtesy of yangon.sites.unicnetwork.org)

Police Seize 4.6 Million Methamphetamine Pills From Monk

The head of the Maungdaw Township police confirmed that an anti-narcotics task force confiscated more than 4.6 million methamphetamine pills from a Buddhist monk on Sunday.

At around 6 p.m., U Arsara—an abbot—and a novice monk drove U Arsara’s Toyota Kluger from Shwe Baho village in southern Maungdaw to a downtown area known by locals as Na Ta La village. They were arrested by the Mayu Operation, an anti-narcotics task force, at Bawdhikone checkpoint on the outskirts of Maungdaw.

Police said they initially discovered 400,000 meth pills and some ammunition in abbot U Arsara’s vehicle. They then searched the Shwe Baho monastery and discovered 4.6 million stimulant tablets, said Maungdaw Township police head Col Kyaw Mya Win. (Courtesy of irrawaddy.com)

U.S. 'deeply troubled' by U.N. report of Myanmar atrocities against Muslims

The United States is "deeply troubled" by the findings of a United Nations report that said soldiers in Myanmar's Rakhine State had committed atrocities against minority Muslims, the State Department said on Monday.

Washington was still studying the report, but urged the Myanmar government "to take its findings seriously and redouble efforts to protect the local population," a spokeswoman for the department, Katina Adams, said.

"We are deeply troubled by the findings," Adams said, referring to the Feb. 3 report from the U.N.'s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva. (Report: bit.ly/2kwtWGq)

The allegations should be investigated "in a thorough and credible manner," and those responsible for any violations held accountable, she said, adding that Washington was continuing to call on the government to restore fully humanitarian and media access to the area.

The U.N. report issued on Friday said Myanmar's security forces had committed mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya Muslims and burned their villages since October in a campaign that "very likely" amounted to crimes against humanity and possibly ethnic cleansing. (Courtesy of reuters.com)